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Asparagus Casserole

CasseroleDiner-StyleVegetarian
Time :45 minutes
Yield :10 servings
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Crispy baked creamy casserole with green beans, topped with golden breadcrumbs and cheese, served in a white baking dish, perfect for hearty homemade comfort food.

The Scoop

Eating your vegetables, but it’s basically Mac and Cheese!
It’s not a bad compromise!  No one actually craves asparagus when they are looking for comfort food, but burying it under five ounces of cream cheese, shredded mozzarella, and a heavy garlic-butter sauce is an acceptable compromise.
This Asparagus Casserole is for anyone who wants to look at their plate, feel a brief sense of health-conscious pride for eating greens, and then immediately enjoy what is essentially a massive bowl of liquid cheese with crunchy breadcrumbs.
It is the perfect deceptive side dish that turns a boring, healthy vegetable into an absolute mid-week indulgence.
Hack it:
Skip blanching entirely and use frozen, thawed asparagus to shave 10 minutes off your prep work.
Fold a handful of crispy, chopped bacon bits into the cheese sauce before pouring it over the veggies.
Boost the crunch: Swap the standard panko for crushed buttery Ritz crackers to give the topping a much richer flavor. 
Stir a tablespoon of Dijon mustard or a pinch of nutmeg into the cream cheese sauce for an instant, savory upgrade.
Leftovers:
Chop the leftover casserole into smaller pieces, whisk them into four eggs, and bake in a skillet for a high-end, cheesy breakfast frittata.
Warm up the leftover casserole, toss it into a blender with a splash of hot pasta water, and blend into an ultra-creamy, green-flecked sauce for penne or fettuccine.
Scoop a cold, thick layer of the leftover casserole directly between two slices of sourdough bread and pan-fry for an incredibly decadent, vegetable-stuffed grilled cheese.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs, preferably whole-wheat
  • 3 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 5 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  • Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.
  • Set a large bowl of ice water near the stove.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, about 30 seconds.
  • Stir the panko breadcrumbs into the melted butter.
  • Cook the asparagus in the boiling water until they are bright green, about 1 minute.
  • Drain the asparagus and transfer them to the ice bath to shock them.
  • Let the asparagus cool for 5 minutes before draining and patting them dry.
  • Arrange the asparagus in a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  • Heat the now-empty pot over medium-high heat.
  • Add the remaining butter to the pot and stir until it has melted.
  • Add the garlic to the butter and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the flour to the butter mixture and cook, while stirring, for 30 seconds.
  • Gradually whisk the milk into the mixture and bring it to a boil, while whisking constantly.
  • Continue cooking and whisking the mixture until it thickens, about 5 minutes.
  • Transfer the pot from the heat and stir in the cream cheese, the mozzarella, and the salt.
  • Pour the cheese sauce over the asparagus and stir to coat.
  • Sprinkle the panko breadcrumb mixture on top of the asparagus mixture.
  • Bake until the asparagus are tender, about 12-15 minutes.
  • Serve.
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